(19)
(11) EP 0 547 840 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
15.12.1993 Bulletin 1993/50

(43) Date of publication A2:
23.06.1993 Bulletin 1993/25

(21) Application number: 92311302.1

(22) Date of filing: 10.12.1992
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: G06F 9/46
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 19.12.1991 US 810619

(71) Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
Armonk, N.Y. 10504 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Carney, William Peter
    San Jose, California 95139 (US)
  • England, Laurence Edward
    Morgan Hill, California 95037 (US)
  • Hochmuth, Gary John
    San Jose, California 95119 (US)
  • Owings, Brian
    San Jose, California 95123 (US)
  • Porter, Eric Lynn
    Fremont, California 94539 (US)
  • Shannon, Alfred William
    Morgan Hill, California 95037 (US)
  • Wilson, Robert Aaron
    San Jose, California 95139-1257 (US)

(74) Representative: Burt, Roger James, Dr. 
IBM United Kingdom Limited Intellectual Property Department Hursley Park
Winchester Hampshire SO21 2JN
Winchester Hampshire SO21 2JN (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Event handling in a high level programming language environment


    (57) Events occurring in a computer system during the execution of programs 12 including routines 17, 18 prepared in a plurality of computer programming languages is as described are handled by a number of event handling means. The number and identity of each unique computer programming language used in the preparation of the program is determined using a language list contained in the application program. A unique event handling means (event handler) 13, 14 is initialized for each unique computer programming language used in the program. As the program executes selected events of interest to the event handlers are detected. The parameters associated with the selected event are determined. Optionally the detected events may be divided into two types : broadcast or targeted. Broadcast events are sent to all event handlers (except the debug event handler), whereas, the targeted events are sent to a single event handler. An event code and the relevant parameters are passed to the event handlers so that each event handler may perform whatever actions are appropriate for that event in the context of the programming language being supported. The event handlers generate an appropriate return code indicating the success, failure, or non-processing of the event and, for selected events, return requested information. The invention provides for a separate specialized debug event handler 15.






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